(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a holder and for wine and other beverages which is appropriate for placement on a table top and is resistant to tipping over.
(2) Background Art
While it is sometimes appropriate to place bottles in which beverages are served directly on the table, when it comes to wine, one usually serves a red wine in a carafe or if the wine is a white wine to be served in a chilled state in an ice bucket placed next to the table from which it can be served to those seated at the table. Of course, red wines can also be placed on the table while still in the bottle if so desired.
While a true connoisseur of wines will prefer that red wines be served at room temperature in order to fully enjoy the aroma, bouquet and the like, white wines, champagne and similar beverages are usually chilled before serving. In most instances the wine steward or sommelier will dispense the wine as needed to the persons gathered at the table. In up-scale restaurants, only the sommelier or wine steward is the proper one to serve the wine.
Prior to the present invention, several patents have issued in the United States directed to wines and various methods for maintaining them in a chilled state during mealtime. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,813, discloses and claims a server for chilled wine and similar beverages or foods which includes a cylindrical-shaped side wall into which a wine bottle can be placed. The side wall is constructed of a heat conductive material such as aluminum, copper, alloys and the like. Ice contained in a receptacle is in contact with the side wall which presents a surface area at or below the desired serving temperature. A server for chilled wines is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,665, which is an improvement on the server of U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,552.
Several other references show various cooling devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,379, which shows a portable wine cooler with a cylindrical shaped container with insulated walls. U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,379 shows a dining room table with a central refrigerated well for storing beverages. U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,010, discloses table assembles with refrigeration means.
However, none of the above references disclose a table top wine holder as hereinafter described which can be placed on a table top without fear of it being tipped over. It is therefore and object of this invention to provide a wine holder which can be placed on and affixed to the table at home or in a restaurant in close proximity to those seated around the table. Another object of this invention is to provide a wine holder which is of a unique design and allows consumers to easily help themselves rather than wait for the wine steward or sommelier to serve. Another object of this invention is to provide a wine holder which avoids the use of the standard ice bucket and the need to wrap the wet wine bottle in a towel so as to avoid dripping while serving. A further object is to have the wine within easy reach of those seated at table. Another object of this invention is to provide a stainless steel wine holder having means for assuring that the wine holder is in no danger of tipping and which is an attractive addition to the dinning table. These and other object will readily become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the teachings herein set forth.